Garden Spiders: Question of Property 



of das^fication, so particular about minute 

 details of fonn, ought to consult more widely 

 than they do. The two dissimilar Spiders 

 have exactly similar wap of lixnng. Both of 

 them prefer to hunt by day and never leave 

 their webs ; both sign their work with a zigzag 

 flourish. Their nets are almost identical, so 

 much so that the Banded Epeira uses the 

 Silky Epeira's web after eating its owner. 

 The Silky Epeira, on her side, when she is the 

 stronger, disfKJSsesses her belted cousin and 

 devours her. Each is at home on the other's 

 web, when the argument of might triumphant 

 has ended the discussion. 



Let us next take the case of the Cross 

 Spider, a hairy beast of x-arA^ng shades of 

 reddidi-brown. She has three large white 

 spots upon her back, forming a triple-barred 

 cross. She hunts mostly at night, shuns the 

 sun and lives by day on the adjacent shrubs, 

 in a shadv retreat which communicates with 

 the lime-snare by means of a telegraph-wire. 

 Her web is ver\- similar in structure and ap- 

 pearance to those of the two others. What 

 will happen if I procure her the \-isit of a 

 Banded Epeira ? 



The lady of the triple cross is invaded by 



3^ 



